Combined seed-planter and cultivator



(No Model.)

T. BJSHANNON, COMBINED SEED PLANTBR AND GULTIVATOR.

Egtented Nov. 25., 1884.- 11% lllllll lllllllllll INVENTOR "H l- I ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES I 64504. J

N. PETERS. Pnaw ilNrrn-o' STATES PATENT @rrion.

THOMAS B. SHANNON, OF HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS.

COMBl NED SEED-PLANTER AND CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,437, dated November 25, 1884.

Application filed February 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that T, THOMAS BRANDON SHANNON, of Huntsville, in the county of \Valker and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Oombined Seed-Planter and Cultivator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of one of my improved machines. part of the hopper being broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, taken through the line a; w,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aplan view ofthe hopper and seed-dropping wheel used for planting corn. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of these me, taken through the line y y, Fig. 3.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the planting of seed and the cultivating of plants, and to promote convenience in adjusting the machines for the different kinds of work.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the claim A represents the frame of the machine, to the side bars of which are attached the bearings for the axle B. Upon the journals of the axle B are placed the drive wheels 0, which are made to carry the said axle with them in their revolution by the clutches D. The teeth of the clutches D engage with teeth formed upon or attached to the inner ends of the hubs of the said drive wheels 0. The clutches D slide upon the axle B, and are held in gear with the wheels 0 by spiral springs E, placed upon the axle B between the said clutches and the pulleys F, or otherst-ops attached to the said axle. The clutches D have annular grooves formed in them to receive the forked ends of the levers G, which are pivoted to arms H, or other supports attached to the side bars of the frame A. The rear parts A of the clutch-levers G rest upon the projecting ends of therear cross-bar of the frame A. The levers G are secured in position, holding the clutches D in gear or out of gear with the drive-wheels O, by placing the rear parts of the said levers upon the inner or the outer sides of pins I, attached to the projecting ends of the rear cross-bar of the frame A.

J is the hopper for cotton-seed, which hopper is made with vertical ends and inclined sides, and has eye-bars K attached to the lower parts of its ends, to receive the pins or bolts L, by which the said hopper is secured detachably to the side bars of the frame A.

M are belts which pass around pulleys N, attached to the ends of a shaft, 0. The shaft 0 revolves in bearings in the lower parts of the vertical ends of the hopper J. To the shaft 0 are attached spiral flanges P, extending from the ends of the hopper J nearly to the center of the said shaft. Beginning at the ends of the hopper J, the spiral flanges 1? pass upward and rearward over the shaft 0, and downward and forward beneath it, so that the said flanges, as the machine is drawn forward, will push the cotton-seed from the end parts of the. hopper J toward the center, and cause the said seed to pass out through the discharge-opening in the center of the bottom of the said hopper.

To the center of the axle B is attached a wheel, Q, having circumferential teeth similar to saw-teeth, and so arranged that their radial sides will be forward, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper part of the toothed wheel Q projects into the dischargeopening of the hopper J, so as to take hold of the cotton-seeds as they are forced into the said discharge opening by the spiral flanges P and draw out the said seeds in uniform quantities. The toothed wheel Q is made in two parts hinged to each other at one end, and connected at the other end by a hook, R, and staple S, or other suitable means. to revolve with the axle B by a tongue and groove, a set-screw, or other suitable means,

and is kept in place upon the said shaft by collars, setscrews, or other suitable means.

To the center of the forward crossbar of the frame A is attached the beam T, the forward end of which projects, to adapt it to serve as a draw-ba1z Upon the rear end of the beam T is formed a tenon, T, having inclined shoulders, which tenon enters a slot, U, in the upper end of the standard U. The standard U is secured to the beam T by a pin or bolt, V, and has several holes formed in it 9 The toothed wheel-Q is made to receive the said fastening pin or bolt, so that the said standard can be readily adjusted to cause the opening-plow to work deeper or shallower in the ground.

To the rear cross-bar of the frame A, upon the opposite sides of and equally distant from its center, are attached short beams W, in one side of the rear parts of which are formed inclined grooves to receive the standards X. The standards X are secured to the beams W by bolts orpins, and to the lower ends of the said standards are attached plows to cover the seed. The opening and covering plows are not shown in the drawings.

When the machine is to be used as a cornplanter, the hopper J and toothed wheel Q are removed and replaced by the hopper Y and the seed-dropper wheel Z. The hopper Y is made smaller than the hopper J, and with a discharge opening in its bottom of such a shape and size as to receive and fit upon the upper part of the seed-dropping wheel Z, which has recesses a in its face, to receive the seed, carry it out of the hopper, and drop it to the ground, the said recesses being made of such a size that each will hold the proper amount of seed to be dropped for a hill.

Then the machine is to be used for cultivating plants, the hopper and its attachments can be removed; or the clutches can be thrown out of gear with the wheels to prevent the seeddropping appliances from operating.

To the rear parts of the side bars of the frame A are attached the handles 1), by means of which the machine is-guided and controlled.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The combination of the frame A, drivingshaft B, journaled to said frame and provided with a removable hinged feed-wheel, with the seed-hoppermounted on theframeoverthefeedwheel and clear of sh aft B, and spirally-flanged shaft 0 1? within the feed-box, rotated from the shaft B by pulleys and belts, said seedhopper being removably secured to the frame A, substantially as shown, whereby the seedhopper, with its shaft 0 P, and the feed-wheel on the driveshaft may be readily removed to be replaced by others for different kinds of seeds.

THOMAS P. SHANNON.

Witnesses:

J. J. JORGINs, A. L. CARMIOHAEL. 

